Fire crews were called yesterday evening to the blaze which had broken out in the kitchen of a flat in Ribble Road, Leyland.

They found the flat filled with smoke, which was cleared using ventilation systems.

A Lancashire Fire and Rescue spokesman said: "On speaking to the occupants they informed the fire crew that they had put the oven on to warm up before cooking but due to the build of oil and grease this started to burn off causing smoke to emit from the oven. The smoke alarm activated and the residents alerted the fire service.

"It’s important when you have cooked greasy products in the oven or grill that it is cleaned. This will help prevent build-up of fatty oils and grease in the oven or grill and help in preventing a fire from starting."

No-one was hurt in the incident, which happened at around 5.30pm yesterday.